Set the Dark on Fire
by nancy fan
Summary: Nancy spots a particularly hot lifeguard while enjoying a summer vacation with Bess in The Hamptons.


**I wrote this for story_lottery over at livejournal. It's slightly AU and is set vaguely around the events of NDF number 50 'Deep Secrets'. I hope everyone enjoys!**

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Stretched out on an already sand strewn beach towel, Nancy allowed her eyes drift lazily closed to the soundtrack of softly chattering voices and the excited squeals of children as they dipped their toes experimentally in the still cool water. Though it was early summer, the temperatures had soared well into the nineties, driving people from their homes and their normal weekend routine to seek refuge in the relative cool of the beach.

Adjusting the ties of her bikini, Nancy turned over, contented and enjoying the feeling of the warm sunshine on her skin and the sense of escape from her regular life that a week by the sea offered. Graduation from high school had coincided with a complicated embezzlement case and the ensuing mix of study, exams and investigation had left Nancy burned out, exhausted and ready for a break. An offer of her Aunt Eloise's beach house in the Hamptons provided the perfect solution and eager for some fun, sun and cute guys, Bess had happily agreed to accompany Nancy on the trip.

"I could stay here forever," Bess sighed contentedly, turning on her side to face her friend as she took a long drink from her sand encrusted can of diet coke. After only a few days of sunshine, Bess's skin was already glowing with the beginnings of a tan, her blonde hair lightened to almost white. "The weather is so perfect and the guys are so gorgeous." Rummaging through her oversized beach bag, Bess pulled out a bottle of suntan lotion and began rubbing it in deftly to her skin. "Are you still on for Emily's party tonight?" she asked idly, her attention momentarily distracted by a passing group of guys, two at least of whom Nancy remembered vaguely from one or other of the parties she had attended.

"I guess," Nancy replied, pulling herself up into a seated position and gratefully accepting the bottle in her friend's outstretched hand. "Emily's parties are always fun."

"And they always have the cutest guys," Bess cut in dreamily, sighing dramatically as . "Not that you'd notice," she despaired, shooting a sharp look in Nancy's direction. "We've been here over a week and you haven't gone on a single date."

"You forget that I only broke up with Don a month ago," Nancy argued weakly, knowing that any defense she could possibly put up wouldn't work when Bess was in mood like this. "I need a break from guys. Anyway, I haven't met anyone I really like," she shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes purposely averted to the covers of Bess's fashion magazine to avoid her friend's pointed stare.

That Nancy hadn't met someone she wasn't really interested in wasn't strictly true. She had met someone, a very cute someone, her daily excursions to the beach having little to do with acquiring a perfect suntan and far more to do with a certain lifeguard. He had smiled at her twice, touched her once, when his hand brushed accidentally against hers while they were pushing through a busy squeeze at the mall. It was insane. Nancy wasn't normally like this. Bess was the one given to this type of star struck love, obsessing over her latest crush, his name doodled uncontrollably all over her text books. Nancy was more prone to worrying if a date would clash with surveillance of a possible suspect.

"What about Sasha, you know that dancer we met last night?" Bess supplied helpfully, untying her blonde hair so it hung in shiny curls around her shoulders. "He seemed really nice and he was definitely flirting with you."

"He's not really my type, Bess," Nancy replied, rolling her eyes as she tightened the strings on her bikini and stood up, desperate to escape Bess's matchmaking routine. The blaze of the sun was becoming steadily unbearable and Nancy eyed the water eagerly.

Tightening the ties of her pale-blue bikini, Nancy stepped gingerly towards the sea, the blistering heat of the sand searing into the soles of her feet with every step. The water was a welcome relief, the boisterous waves quickly enveloping her body and cooling her burning skin. Their heads bobbing up and down in the water, children played happily with beach balls and floats, screaming excitedly as the force of the waves dragged them away, which would result in a frantic rush to recover the lost items. The older people entered the water more tentatively, tiptoeing as opposed to running, the shock of the cold water an obvious deterrent. While a boisterous gang of teenagers playfully kicked sprays of water into the air, the girls clutching at their skimpy bikini tops, acutely aware that a sudden, unexpected wave could pull them clean away.

Diving under the cool of the water, Nancy swam out further into the sea until the roar of the waves drowned out all the screams and cries and Nancy could enjoy her swim in relative peace. Gliding through the deep blue, she kicked and splashed contentedly, the initial iciness having slowly worn off when a sharp pain gripped Nancy's side, the sheer intensity of it rendering her breathless. Struggling to regain her composure, she attempted to swim back towards the shore, her efforts rewarded with a sharp mouthful of seawater as she was enveloped violently by the force of the waves. Coughing and spluttering, Nancy fought her way to the surface when another slap of a wave pushed her underneath the water again and it was becoming harder and harder to compete against the thunderous force of the sea. And though she screamed furiously for help, the words were simply swallowed by the roar of the water. Forced under the water again, Nancy felt herself slipping into darkness, when she was grabbed by a pair of strong arms before being placed gently on the warmth of the sand. The last thing she remembered was the sweet press of his lips on hers.

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Sitting on the edge of the bed, Nancy briskly towel dried her hair while she sighed frustratedly at her friend. "Bess, for the a millionth time, I'm fine. I just want to go out tonight and forget that today ever happened."

"Why?" Bess asked, her eyes wide with bewilderment as she momentarily set down her tube of mascara. "I for one would just die with happiness if a lifeguard that hot kissed me," she sighed dramatically, dabbing perfume liberally on her wrists.

"Bess, he didn't kiss me," Nancy retorted in exasperation as she rummaged through her closet for a suitable dress to wear to the party that night. "He was just doing his job."

"He put his lips to yours. Same difference," Bess shrugged, unconcerned, as she eyed Nancy's choice of outfit approvingly.

Nancy didn't even bother arguing this time. Applying a light sheen of gloss to her lips, she stepped into her sandals before the pair wandered out of the house, the last glow of the sun glistening weakly overhead.

Music spilling out onto the beach, Nancy and Bess kicked through the cool sand as they walked the short distance to Emily's house, their sandals dangling loosely from their hands.

"Hi guys. I'm so glad you could make it!"

Her golden blonde hair hanging in loose curls around her shoulders, Emily bounded down the steps of the porch to greet Nancy and Bess in a warm hug. The only daughter of a wealthy property developer, Emily Terner had a reputation of throwing the wildest parties in town. The Terner home was impressive, a gleaming expanse of chrome and glass that commanded an enviable position overlooking the beach.

A sizable crowd had already gathered in the house, laughing and joking, plastic cups gripped in their hands, the thoroughly impractical white furniture at ever danger of being spilled upon. Bess was swallowed instantly in the crowd, grabbed by a guy Nancy recognized as the waiter her friend had been crushing on all summer.

Pushing a plastic cup of something sickly sweet that reeked of alcohol into Nancy's hand, Emily looked at her questionably, her green eyes shining with excitement. "Oh my God, are you okay, Nancy? Jessica just told me that you almost drowned down at the beach today."

"I'm fine," Nancy muttered dismissively, her cheeks burning at the thought of everyone gossiping about her. "And I did not almost drown. I just swam out a bit too far," she shrugged, taking a hesitant sip of her questionable cocktail.

"That's what everyone is saying," Emily added insistently, her attention pulled away from Nancy as she spotted another group of friends making their way across the living room.

Though Nancy had spent the better part of the evening convincing Bess that she was okay, that she was none the worse for wear after her morning escapades, a dull pain now ached fiercely at the base of her skull. The boisterousness of the party wasn't helping and Nancy wandered further into the house, determined to escape the almost deafening noise and ease her splitting headache. Apart from a lone couple making out against a sheet of glass that constituted a wall, the kitchen was deserted and Nancy's shoes stuck slightly as she walked across the floor, the spilt beer and soda rendering the gleaming white tiles a sticky mess.

Maybe she would go home. Nancy wasn't sure she had the patience to make small talk with people she didn't know and would probably never meet again. She was just about to find Bess and give up the night as lost when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Not going anywhere, I hope," a voice came from behind her.

Spinning around, Nancy's heart caught in her throat when she saw who it was. It was him.

His customary bare chest was now covered with a shirt and Nancy was suddenly struck by an almost irritable urge to reach out and kiss him and rediscover what it would feel like to have his lips pressed against hers. Taking a long, nervous drink of her vodka concoction, Nancy suddenly realized that Ned had said something to her.

"Excuse me?" Nancy stammered uncertainly, her heart pounding so hard she felt sure Ned could hear it.

"I was just wondering how you felt after earlier," he asked gently, Nancy's cheeks flushing as his eyes met hers.

"Fine, I guess," Nancy shrugged nervously, all normal sense of her usual easy confidence having long abandoned her. "I'm not exactly sure what happened. I might have overdone the pancakes this morning," she added with a rueful grin. "I'm sorry, I didn't get to thank you."

"It was nothing," he assured her modestly, a shy smile on his face. "The waves are stronger than people think," he added matter-of-factly. "This kind of thing happens too often."

"Well, thank you again," Nancy smiled, drinking nervously from her plastic cup. "And if there's anything I can do to show my appreciation, just ask," she shrugged, cringing inwardly at how stupid and cliched she sounded. Nancy was just about to turn away, when she felt his hand around hers.

"Come for a walk with me and we're even," he suggested with a teasing grin on his face and Nancy almost died, flashing him a small smile in agreement to disguise the almost overwhelming sense of anticipation she felt inside.

It was the perfect night. A full moon hung resplendent in the inky-black above and stars flickered wildly, casting shimmering refections on the surface of the gently breaking water. There was a slight chill in the air but Nancy hardly noticed; the only thing she was capable of focusing on was the warmth of his fingers wrapped around hers.

"You know, I've only just realized that I still don't know your name," he smiled and Nancy couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. What the hell had come over her? Nancy prided herself on being practical and logical and most definitely not like this ditzy, giggly person she had suddenly transformed into.

"I'm Nancy," she shrugged shyly, thankful of the dark night that would disguise her reddening cheeks.

"Pleased to meet you, Nancy," Ned smiled as he stumbled briefly over the words and Nancy was glad to realize that she wasn't the only one nervous in the situation. "I'm Ned. And would it be terrible of me to admit that I was secretly glad that I got to rescue you today? I've seen you, on the beach with your friend," he added in explanation to Nancy's questioning look.

"What? Are you stalking me or something?" Nancy demanded with a deliberately harsh tone before dissolving into laughter at the look of panic on Ned's face. "Sorry, I couldn't resist," she apologized before breaking into laughter again, Ned joining in weakly, the relief evident in his eyes.

The awkwardness between them finally broken, Nancy and Ned walked hand-in-hand along the shore, settling into a comfortable conversation where Ned told Nancy about the classes he was taking in Emerson and Nancy spoke vaguely about her plans for the following year. Nancy had guessed as much from his accent but when Ned informed her that he was from Mapleton, a neighboring town to her native River Heights, Nancy hoped the sheer ecstatic delight she felt wasn't as obvious as she suspected. Ned was attentive, Nancy noticed, a good listener, and everything inside her melted when he wrapped a warm arm around her shoulders after seeing her shiver.

"Do you plan on drowning again tomorrow, Nancy?" Ned asked jokingly as he wrapped his other arm lightly around Nancy shoulders and pulled her close, his lips positioned dangerously close to hers. "It's just, I know this lifeguard who would be more than willing to save your life again."

"I think saving my life is pushing it, don't you?" Nancy retorted playfully, before surrendering to the magic of the moment as he pressed his lips softly to hers. "But I will be at the beach tomorrow and who knows what might happen?" she managed as he pulled gently away, Nancy slightly awe-struck in the aftermath of his touch.

"Looking forward to it already," Ned smiled, enclosing her hand warmly in his as the pair made their way slowly towards the party, the silvery light of the moon guiding their way.


End file.
